David Meerman Scott, a well-known marketing strategist, coined the term "newsjacking," which he describes as "the process by which you inject your ideas or angles into breaking news, in real-time, in order to generate media coverage for yourself or your business." The concept makes sense, and we all know that a great way to gain relevance online is by leveraging hot topics and news items that are beginning to trend-but it's a competitive, and fast-moving, field. How do content marketers stay on top of the relevant trends and news in their industries to ensure they're curating and communicating fresh, engaging content?

IBM to Acquire Initiate Systems

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IBM announced plans to acquire Initiate Systems, a privately held Chicago software firm that produces organizational analytics software and whose products are in use by companies such as CVS/Caremark, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare Services, and the Office of Veteran Affairs.

According to IBM, the acquisition is in response to the continued government emphasis on healthcare, including $36 billion of government stimulus funds available for the adoption of electronic records. Initiate's software is in use at more than 2,400 healthcare sites, including numerous health information exchanges and government agencies around the world. The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2010.